Translucent Obstacle
by Heavens Wrath 15
Summary: Unable to face humiliation caused by her crush, she hides from the ninja world so as to escape the criticism. Can a certain blond haired friend alleviate her rejection? NaruSaku! Oneshot. Slight AU. Rated T to be safe.


**Hey everyone! Just taking a break from my other story "Gratification," and felt like completing this one since I was almost done with it. It has nothing to do with Gratification, AND it does NOT have any manga spoilers. Also, this is in response to the poll I had on my profile. My question was, "Which couple would you want to see me make a story with next?" When I last checked, the majority (11 of 14) wanted another Naruto/Sakura story. So I decided to complete this one shot to fulfill that poll. Voting power! **

**About the story: starts off vague (as most of the things I write tend to do), and becomes more specific. Though I'm inexperienced as a writer, I wanted to try a slightly different approach in writing. Emphasis on certain sounds throughout the story is intentional. Named it "Translucent Obstacle" since that's how I felt when I dealt with something similar to this situation. One can almost see what they want, but it's the hardest thing to ****decipher**** it. Also, think Shippuuden when you read this since Naruto and Sakura are both around the age of 16-17. This is a bit of an AU (alternate universe) though it still revolves mostly around the Ninja world with some of my modifications such as Sasuke still being around in their lives. Once again I tried to not go too OOC (Out of Character) since I love their personalities. Oh, AND IT IS FULL OF NARUSAKU FLUFF!!! Well, at least some of what I consider fluff...XD ****  
**

**I feel the need to save people time and make this known; I'm using a different philosophy with this story than I did with Gratification. Philosophy: If you don't like what you are reading, then don't read it. Simple as that! I wrote this for fun, and I know it's not that good, so there is no need for anyone to waste their time on it if they don't like it after reading it for a bit. On with the disclaimer!**

_**Disclaimer: I've had the beginnings of this idea written out for a couple years now, and changed it a few months ago to make it a NaruSaku. I have no idea if this idea is someone else's or if it is completely original. I've personally never read anything similar to this, so I'm leaning towards original. If it has been done, then this is my own version if anything! I own and take credit for the plot/storyline, which is the string of ideas I've put together! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! I repeat! I DO NOT OWN NARUTO! If you sue me you will get everything a poor college student has to offer which are these dust bunnies I found under my crumbling bed, and the lint and dirty penny I just pulled out of my pocket. Yes, you'll be filthy rich!**_

**Anyway, now that I'm done rambling. Hope everyone enjoys the story!**

* * *

**Translucent Obstacle**

**(One shot)**

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

As they hit the ground to their own beat, making their own rhythm, they fall. Following their own downward momentum from the heavens to the earth they fall. With their own volition and determination they fall. The war drum's beat begins.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

Pulling the feathery covers over her head, she lay motionless, feeling the warmth of her sheets, the fluff in her pillow, and the sweet smell of the morning dew; she lay motionless. Grasping the sheets tighter, she holds them firmly as a faint beeping sound erupts throughout the dead room. Loud and obnoxious, she leans over and slowly feels with her fingertips to track the source of the unpleasant sound.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

As the feel of the small plastic ditch of a button makes contact with her skin, she raises her arm up high, and lowers it forcefully upon the noisemaker, silencing it permanently, leaving a dent as big as a water polo ball. The room returns to its previous lifeless state. All that remained was the whisper of exhaling and inhaling of air.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

She groans as millions of thoughts and chores fill her mind, making her almost light-headed from the sudden burst of energy. She slowly turned onto her side, and hugs the tender pillow, attempting hopelessly to retreat back to the dream world she had departed from mere seconds ago.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

It had been three days, and still sign of existence in the modern world was fatal in her state. Everything outside her room had faded away. However, there were no injuries, or any internal problems with her body; the mind was resisting the urge to move. The same thought kept reoccurring inside her head. The same man appeared each time, and each time he said the same thing. In the end, what more was there to conclude than it was the same scene. The same moment everything fell apart.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

'_No, you're annoying..._' the cold voice came like an avalanche.

She had stood silently, unable to speak since she had no idea how to respond. The females surrounding them smiled contemptuously. Some had giggled while others had snickered. Her reputation had just been obliterated.

'_You're just like the rest of them...a fan girl...Your feelings aren't those of love, but desire…I will never date you!_'

The hunger for touch, comfort, and warmth erupted throughout her body at this memory. A simple yet complex craving for a presence to be next to her followed in hot pursuit. The feel of love is what her heart and soul yearned for, but did not receive. The pure pain of losing what she called "love" hit harder each day she had remained in her room. She had attempted to persuade herself that she didn't have feelings for the duck-shaped, black haired teenage boy, but failed continuously. To her, the thoughts she had known as "love" were gone; the enormous, deep, blue, sea monster had swallowed the dismantled heart she held.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

'It's not true...' she thought to herself sadly, 'I'm not like the rest of them...' It seemed there was no way of her persuading her crush though. She had dug a hole rather deep this time though she had been forewarned.

She gradually rolled onto her back, and looked up at the ceiling, keeping her hands to her sides. It felt like the event happened seconds ago when her heart was shattered. She slowly pulled herself up from her position on her bed until she sat upright, and stared at the door that stood stoically. Shifting her eyes towards the tear stained window, she realized the calm presence outside. She could tell it had rained earlier that day since the gray clouds continued to hang in the sky, above the village, as if waiting for the next opportunity to unleash its fury. It was tranquil, and the rain had ceased its warpath for the time being.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

A small, golden-haired dog jumped as hard as it could onto the bed above it. Even though the bed was about two to three times above its short height, the dog knew its limits. It landed on the side of the bed, and scrambled to get itself onto the flat landing. It then scampered onto its owners lap only to tackle her, and lick her face, placing as many kisses as possible. The owner picked it up and extended her arms as much as possible, so it was unable to lick her face. She glared at it with an emotionless expression only to have it return with round loving puppy dog eyes. She softened her expression then placed the dog on the bed, and scratched behind its pointed ears while it cuddled against her.

"Good morning," she said sadly.

It was odd to have a dog as a ninja, unless you were Kiba who actually utilized his animal for combat or for travel. However, she wasn't the one to get the dog, Tsunade-sama, her master, had chosen the small animal for her with the help of Kakashi-sensei. Tsunade had explained that the dog was a great companion, and they wanted to experiment using dogs with medical ninjas. The dogs would be able to detect the presence of danger earlier than humans in some cases. They would also be a great way for the medical ninjas to always find their teammates in any turmoil.

This small puppy was the only thing to give her comfort these last few days. She hadn't spoken to anyone outside her family and the dog. The embarrassment she had felt was nothing short of complete humiliation. Going to the academy would only cause more problems for her now. Many knew of what had happened, and it was only a matter of time before everyone knew. They would be talking about how she selfishly hid herself at home, instead of completing her work.

**Knock, Knock, someone is at the door going Knock, Knock.**

Though it was the weekend, her parents were away on another trip. They wouldn't be returning to the village until next week. This left her to maintain the house. Hearing the knock, she slowly got up to answer the door downstairs.

She had fallen asleep in her mission clothes since she was too lazy to clean other clothes, though they were stained with her tears. Her short pink hair was a mess, and her eyes were still slightly puffy from when she had woken up crying from a nightmare earlier that morning. She quickly brushed her hair and put it into a short pony tail, and flattened out her vest in an attempt to disguise the lack of maintenance. She didn't wear her head protector, but let it be. On her way out, she slipped on her knee high shoes, choosing to keep the outfit consistent.

Feeling she had made the person at the door wait too long, she quickly closed the door to her room so the dog wouldn't follow, jogged down the stairs, and answered the front door. She slowly opened it even though she had completely forgotten to check first. She peeked through the small space between the door and wall, and dropped her guard completely when she realized who it was.

"Naruto!"

Her blond-haired rescuer was standing on the steps. His jacket and shoes were wet since the rain had only subsided a few minutes ago. He too was in his mission clothes.

"Hey Sakura-ch-," he said as he went to raise his hand, but was cut off before he could continue.

Sakura couldn't help herself. She lunged forward into Naruto, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He had been unprepared for this, and staggered backwards. She felt herself begin to cry, and could no longer retain any feelings of hurt she had experienced. Not entirely knowing what to do, Naruto wrapped his arms around her, and held her firmly while she rested her head on his chest. Her tears trickled freely as if the dams in her eyes had been broken.

Awareness of the situation finally set in, and Sakura slowly pulled back from Naruto. '...I just...hugged Naruto...' She blushed ten shades of red as she looked down at the ground, flabbergasted by her reaction. It worked to her advantage since it was cloudy and had just rained. It cooled her down, and helped hide her tears from being displayed fully on the ground or in his jacket. She began wiping her eyes as she tried to make sense of her actions. She was happy to see him. He was the first person to actually visit her after what happened three days ago. Ino hadn't even stopped by, and was probably celebrating for the victory.

"Sakura-chan, how have you been doing?" came his gentle voice. Each word held unexplainable warmth.

She continued to look down, unable to answer, though she was shocked by his reaction. Normally he would be yelling loudly, being hyperactive, or claiming he was going to go rip Sasuke's head off for his actions. This side was much more caring.

She didn't respond to his question, but was able to formulate another question, "Naruto, what are you doing here in this weather? You live on the other side of the village," she said concerned.

"I saw what happened the other day outside of the room..." he said eying her, "What happened between you and Sasuke...Even though I warned you..." He reached out and touched her arm in a caring fashion, "You didn't come back...it's been three days now, and I was worried something may have happened..."

She released her arm from his touch, and brought her hands together behind her back. She loathed this feeling! Being foolish, selfish, and a coward wasn't something she normally did nor was it something she wanted to continue doing, but making Naruto worry about her hurt even more. It was never her intention to be so selfish and worry him.

He looked at her sympathetically. He never liked it when she cried. It was as if his heart had been stabbed several times then ripped in half. Though he could never bring himself to do anything, he did indisputably love her, and he realized why a very long time ago. He had his ideas for ways that could cheer her up at this moment.

"Well, Sakura-chan, do you know what we have to do?"

She looked up at him, confused, only to see him grin back down at her, "What?"

He reacted with lightning reflexes, grabbing her right arm with his left, bending down, placing his right shoulder at her hip, grabbing her legs with his right arm, and lifting her up. He was carrying her as if he were a fireman running out of a burning building.

"NAAARUUUTOOO!" she automatically made a fist with her free hand, and held it up ready to hit him. A vein was popping out of her forehead, and her eyes had become large and white, "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" This was completely unexpected, and had caught her off guard.

He only laughed though a part of him was absolutely scared for his life, "You'll see Sakura-chan," he said as he closed her front door then ran down the street, jumping in every puddle possible while she continued yelling at him to put her down, and explain to her what was happening.

* * *

Surprisingly, it didn't take long for Naruto to reach their destination. It was on top of a building; only this place had a bench under a sheltered area. Once Naruto had gotten to the bench, he slowly put her down. She sat where he placed her, crossing her arms, and legs while looking up at him disgruntled. Observing their surroundings, she could tell they were on top of a decently tall building, and one could look around the entire village just by rotating. She looked away from the blond before speaking. 

"Naruto...why did we come here during the calm of the storm?" she asked slightly irritated, seeing as she was wet from all the puddles he jumped in. She thought some of those puddles had been able to swallow a small child from how wet she now was.

"To get you away from what was keeping you where you were," he responded.

"W-What? That doesn't make any sense."

"Sakura-chan, it does. When you were at home you probably thought only about Sasuke, and how he completely rejected you in front of everyone."

She glared at him, and the vein on her forehead making its appearance once again. "Thanks for reminding me, Naruto..."

"Hehe, I'm sorry, Sakura-chan, no need to punish me with your monstrous strength though."

Her glare intensified greatly, and Naruto found himself backing away automatically. It was his usual reaction when things like this happened. He smiled as he held his hands up in a motion suggesting he surrendered. Instead of stopping a few feet away from her, he backed up to the edge of the shelter intentionally. In the distance, a loud booming sound could be heard.

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

"Sounds like it's coming back for round two, huh?" He asked Sakura, changing the subject.

Sakura looked towards the direction of the sound, and could see black birds flying away from the area in the distance, "Without a doubt it's coming back."

Gaining a little more courage, "I guess you couldn't be stopped either?"

Sakura felt her eyes descend to the ground, and bit her lower lip, "I guess..."

"Even though Shikamaru and I tried to stop you?"

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

She shook her head, and remembered his voice the day before. They had told her how Sasuke would react, but she didn't listen. She knew Ino was going to attempt to get a date with Sasuke-kun, and if the blonde succeeded then Sakura would be the loser. The competition between the two would have been decided, and probably never resumed. Sakura couldn't afford these outcomes. These ideas of prevailing overrode all thoughts of failure and became her motivation; she had to win! Even though Naruto and Shikamaru were trying to help her, she refused. Even when they attempted to stop her...

_"Sakura-chan! I really think you should reconsider-"_ Naruto had run after her, down the academy hall with Shikamaru close behind him. He was panting as she turned around to see who had come after her. "Shut up Naruto! I'm not going to let Ino-pig beat me to him! You can't persuade me otherwise!"

"_Sakura-san, Naruto does have a point. It would be a very troublesome situation if you continue with your plans." S_he remembered Shikamaru attempting to help Naruto. Naruto had asked him for the favor, she was sure of it.

"_Wouldn't it be best to let Ino go first? If she gets rejected, then you would win, and wouldn't have to rush into things. I could help you get Sasuke's love..." _Naruto had offered desperately, hoping it would dissuade her from going head first into entropy. She found it a bit hypocritical of him to make such a suggestion.

_"No! Because then she by default since you helped me!"_

"_But-"_

"_I'm going to ask him tomorrow before Ino-pig does! WITHOUT YOU HELPING ME! And Sasuke-kun will be mine!" _she left without looking back, smiling with confidence, believing her resolution would work.

"_Women are troublesome..." _She heard Shikamaru say as she left, _"She will find out on her own Naruto." _She found out later he had held Naruto so she could leave.

Now that she thought about it, she felt like such an idiot for allowing her pride get the best of her. She felt Tsunade-sama had taught her better when it came to being the 'bigger person,' but it seemed old rivalries had the tendency of getting the best of people. She also blamed it partially on her unbending volition, and the tendency to never give up under any circumstance. Something Naruto and her both shared. Deep down, she realized Naruto was only trying to protect her to a certain extent, and she had been so wrapped up with Sasuke, her pride, and her eternal rivalry that she hadn't let him finish or help. He may have actually saved her then, and she wouldn't be in this predicament, acknowledging his attempts.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

Sakura remembered she was under the shelter, on top of a building, sitting on a bench with Naruto nearby. She looked up to notice Naruto was no longer underneath the shelter, but being attacked by hundreds of water drops. The rain was fairly light, and nice compared to the hailstorm that morning. Sakura watched him close his eyes, and lift his head so the fresh raindrops landed directly on his face. It was refreshing for her to see someone, burdened by many things, let go.

She smiled affectionately at the sight before her, 'Naruto...you really are the number one most surprising ninja...' she mentally commented.

He looked back down towards her, and extended his arm in her direction. His hand was the only part to make it under the shelter while the rest of his body remained under the water. His hair had flattened somewhat though certain points still stuck up. He smiled at her softly as if asking her to join him.

Sakura rose from her position, but hesitated in approaching him. Instead she stood still, unwilling to move forward. She could feel her heart throbbing inside her chest just looking at him.

'No...Why am I feeling this way towards Naruto? These feelings...they aren't the same as what I felt towards Sasuke-kun...they feel...better...'

"Sakura-chan..." Naruto said, gaining her attention. Their eyes connected, and a warm sensation erupted throughout her body, "Come on..."

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

Sakura felt her cheeks begin to heat up. She finally found her backbone, and walked forward, taking his hand. He took a step back to guide her into the rain, taking hold of her other hand in the process. He then continued to look up at the mirthless sky. As Sakura raised her head, she could see the water drops dripping from the bottom of his chin, and the sly smirk on his face. She felt a shiver go up her spine, and Naruto squeezed her hands instinctively.

'Stay with me...This what I need...'

She had no idea what caused those words to go through her head. Nor did she understand why he had brought her there in the first place. She couldn't even remember how they got there, but something made the moments different from everything else. She wanted to stand with him for as long as possible. She couldn't think of anything to say to him, but the silence was pleasant. She felt his lukewarm hands still holding hers, and could feel his thumbs caressing the tops of them.

Water drops fell more rapidly a few moments later, and a chill went throughout her whole body as if she were electrified. She began to shiver from the cold. It wasn't helping that she wasn't wearing pants, but her bandages around the thighs and skirt. She wore nets which only went around her chest with the red sleeveless vest on top. She had been fortunate enough to wear her mission boots which covered up to her knee.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

She felt Naruto release her hands, and heard him unzip his orange, black jacket.

"Huh?" she tilted her head as she looked at him. He only smiled.

"So you don't get too cold," then wrapped the jacket around her unexpectedly, and his face scrunched from the big smile he gave her. She immediately felt her body temperature rise drastically.

She blushed at the abnormal gesture, "T-Thank you," he hadn't given her a second to refuse his offer. Naruto was now only wearing his black shirt with a large, orange Konoha symbol at the center of it, his long pants, and mission shoes.

Naruto was always been considerate of her, but it never made her react in this fashion. He was normally loud, obnoxious, and somewhat in his own world, but this time he was more comforting. It was what she desired, but it was also to her disadvantage. She knew of his feelings for her, and how she had always put distance between them. She was afraid she would never get Sasuke if they became too close, and had convinced herself Naruto was a good friend while Sasuke was the only person for her. Was it all a lie she created in her head? She needed to pull away before something regrettable happened.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go tap, tap.**

"Naruto..." He opened his shimmering, cerulean eyes to look at her, and his smile relaxed, "Lets go back to my home."

He nodded, "Okay," and they took off.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go tap, tap. **

* * *

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

They reached her home just as the rain strengthened. Instead of the feathery feel from before, it now felt like thousands of tiny knives slashing their skin. As they stood on the doorsteps in the pouring rain, Sakura naturally opened the front door, and stepped in. She looked back to notice Naruto was still standing on the steps in the rain.

"Come on Naruto," she said, waiting for him to come, 'Please don't get me wrong...' she thought.

"I think it would be best for me to go back to my apartment...It isn't too far, and it shouldn't take more than fifteen minutes to get there."

'I don't wanna be alone...' the words flashed in her head.

"WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?! You'll catch a cold! And...And...I'll feel guilty since you had to walk through this weather again. You're coming in!" she yelled back at him, settling the disagreement.

She watched as his lips curved into his infamous fox grin, "Can't argue with that," then stepped through the doorway, and stood on the mat.

She closed the door behind him, handing back his jacket, and removing her soggy shoes, "Don't move. I'll go get towels."

He nodded and stayed on the entry carpet. She quickly put on her slippers, and carefully ran to the other room, grabbing a couple towels and returned. Naruto had removed his shoes as well.

"Here," she said as she threw a towel over his head with a soft smile.

He lifted up the towel slightly so she could see part of his face, "Thanks, Sakura-chan," as he gave her one of his beaming smiles.

They then dried themselves as best as they could, before Sakura asked, "Would you like something to drink or eat? I can get you some warm tea, and make you something to eat."

"Ah! Thank you, Sakura-chan! You wouldn't happen to have any ramen, would you?" He had pulled out his best puppy dog eyes for her, and his bottom lip shook. His eyes spoke the words he didn't want to say.

Sakura smirked, knowing for some reason that was the food he would ask for. "Sure, it will take a few minutes to make. Lets go to the kitchen."

"Okay," he responded in a chipper voice as he followed her. Once they entered the kitchen, he put his jacket on the back of a chair, and let out a sneeze. He shivered immediately after, "This shirt is so cold," he told Sakura, realizing it was practically drenched from the walk back, "Would it be okay if I took it off?"

Sakura blushed at the question, 'You don't like him, you don't like him, you don't like him,' she attempted pitifully to remind herself.

"That should be fine," she responded coolly, "Just wrap the towel around you for warmth."

Naruto nodded, and did as he was told. Sakura quickly glanced back over her shoulder to see his toned torso as he went to pull the shirt off over his head. She noted his tan skin, and defined muscles making her redden. The shirt was almost over his head, and she immediately went back to work on making the ramen Naruto wanted, 'Shannaro! You like him! Damn it!'

She shook her head, "You should consider yourself lucky I'm making food for you," she teased since it was Instant Ramen she was preparing, "People rarely get to taste such good cooking."

She chanced another look over her shoulder again, and grinned at her companion. He had pulled the towel around his shoulders and held it in the front, covering his pectorals and abdominal, leaving his shirt on his jacket.

"I know!" came his response, "Sakura-chan has a hidden ability for cooking which no one else has been able to uncover," the two smiled at the stupid statements.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

As she served the instant ramen, and sat across from Naruto at the table, she felt much happier. Naruto had made it much easier for her to forget her problems with Sasuke-kun, her classmates, and her selfish disappearance. She felt as if they never happened. The two sat at the table eating what Sakura had prepared, and talked about what was going on at the upper division academy since she had vanished. Naruto explained to her what happened after she left, and how Ino attempted to get a date with Sasuke as well and was rejected. This also made Sakura feel better to an extent, and explained why her rival didn't visit her. This also helped confirm what Naruto and Shikamaru had attempted to tell her about waiting. They finished the ramen, and Naruto cleaned up for her. He also ate the remaining ramen she didn't finish.

"Thanks Sakura-chan, you have better instant ramen making skills than I do."

She smiled at the statement, "You're welcome, Naruto."

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

Neither knew what else to say to the other, nor how to go about it. The silence seemed to drag on for an eternity until the loud sound of rolling thunder was heard. The lights inside Sakura's house flickered unexpectedly. Both looked at each other slightly surprised. The drums had found their beat once again. Another sound of thunder erupted from outside, and seemed to shake the house they currently stood in.

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

"You're not going home," Sakura said immediately to Naruto.

"WHA-WHAT?! W-Why?"

Sakura crossed her arms, "Not only is it raining, but the lightning is very close to where we are. It only took to the count of three for the next lightning bolt to strike after the initial one. If you go outside right now, it can be really dangerous. The lightning may hit you, or it can hit something else close by, causing tremendous problems."

Naruto smiled at the kunochi, 'You really are the brightest person in our class, Sakura-chan...'

"Hmm...Then what do you suggest?"

"Just stay here until it passes. We should consider ourselves fortunate for coming back when we did."

Naruto nodded, "Then what would you like to do to pass the time?"

Giving the idea a few seconds of thought, as well as pushing away the dirty ideas that came out of nowhere, she finally decided, "I know! You can meet the ninja dog Tsunade-sama and Kakashi-sensei gave me a week ago! I don't think I ever showed it to you," she smiled happily, and stood up. "He's upstairs in my r-room."

Naruto stood up cautiously, "Are you sure that's okay?" taking into account that it was HER room.

She nodded back to him, "It's fine Naruto. We've known each other for so long anyway," then walked out of the kitchen.

Naruto frowned slightly at those words, 'Known each other for so long...are you saying that's the reason everything is okay?' he shook his head, 'She doesn't like me...like I like her...she likes Sasuke, she likes Sasuke...' he put on a fake smile, and followed her up to her room.

Once the door opened, the small dog tackled the person happily. The poor thing had been scared of the lightning, and had been running around Sakura's room trying to find a place of comfort. Naruto closed the door behind him so the dog wouldn't get out. He then squatted next to Sakura who was trying to calm it.

"It's alright little guy," after closer inspection, "He's really puny," Naruto stated as he tilted his head to look at it.

"He's only a few months old," she informed him, "And he's going to grow a much more. He is suppose to be a little higher than my knee when he stands on all fours, which is when he will be full size."

"What's its name?"

Sakura shrugged, "I really haven't thought of one yet. Nothing seemed to fit him."

"It is a good dog, maybe we can think of a name to pass the time," Naruto suggested as he went to pet the dog's head while smiling at Sakura. Unfortunately, the dog made a minor mistake in how it perceived the hand, and bit down on the incoming object. Naruto's face went from smiling and happy to biting his lower lip while his eyes narrowed. He let out a yelp, and attempted to get the dog to let go.

Sakura giggled as she watched him with his futile attempts at trying to get the animal off without harming it. Finally, she stepped in and helped him by grabbing the dog, and petting its head. Naruto looked displeased by the situation, and scowled at the animal. The dog only stared back with its loving, circular dog eyes once again.

"I'm sorry, Naruto. I should have warned you he is teething right now. Please don't be too angry."

The dog was watching Naruto, and wagging its tail happily as if it had done no wrong. Naruto continued to glare at the animal.

"Don't worry, but I do have the perfect name for him."

Sakura looked at him slightly interested while waiting for his response.

"Chomp," he said curtly, yet jokingly.

Sakura giggled, and released the dog. She stood up, and took a few steps into her room. "I'll give it my consideration," she replied lightheartedly as she looked back at him.

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

"So..." Naruto began, drawing a blank since he was uncomfortable now standing in Sakura's room, "T-This is where you've been hiding for the last couple days?" trying to start a conversation to ease his excitement.

Naruto noted the dishes left from meals she had finished on her drawer, the unmade bed in the corner of the room, and the trail of clothes lying around. The area was almost considered orderly, but lacked cleanliness which was rare with Sakura.

Sakura nodded, "Yeah...Its sorta been my getaway...I've been kind of lonely too..." A few tears slowly began to seep out of her eyes as she looked away from Naruto. She began to walk towards her bed to sit on it, but was stopped midway by a pair of arms wrapping around her stomach. She froze for a moment, interpreting what was happening. She felt a body press against her back, and its head come down on her right shoulder, nuzzling its way between her neck and shoulder. She could feel Naruto's hot breath on the back her neck, causing her to freeze.

"Sakura-chan, you were never alone...You have me...That's a promise of a lifetime, so please...don't cry anymore..." was all he said.

'Was he waiting all this time to tell me this?' she couldn't help but question her friend's actions. She didn't blush from this contact, nor feel shocked or scared. She felt grateful, and placed her arms on his so as to hold them around her waist.

"Naruto..."

It was as if the world froze to Naruto, holding the girl of his dreams in his arms without having her attempting homicide. He felt a pang of guilt, knowing she wouldn't ever be his, however, he wasn't expecting her to react in such a manner as she displayed. Sakura rotated her body in his grasp, and wrapped her arms around his neck. This time, it was her turn to place her head between his shoulder and neck, her hot breath tickling him.

"Thank you," were the only words that could escape her lips.

She didn't know why she clung onto him as long as she did. Maybe it was the warmth and comfort she felt, or the hundreds of butterflies in her stomach moving around. She felt his arm slide up her side, and land on the back of her neck so as to hold her in place. The other remained wrapped around her waist. Sakura suddenly felt the urge to kiss his neck. His skin felt silky against her lips.

"No problem," he replied softly into her ear. He enjoyed the attention, and small peck he received on his neck, but refrained from doing anything else in response.

Sakura allowed her desires to take over, and began to leave a trail of kisses along his neck. A part of her couldn't explain her reaction towards her best friend, especially since Sasuke-kun still came to mind immediately. However, the other half realized her craving earlier that morning was internally pulling the strings. She had wanted someone so badly to be next to her, and here stood Naruto, her best friend and partner, allowing his being to be her release.

What hurt her was her knowledge of Naruto's feelings towards her. Naruto had harbored feelings for her since they were younger, and she always kept a certain distance to prevent anything from happening. She knew at that moment, however, he was the only person who could satisfy the craving, and it made her dismiss all other logical thoughts of what would result from this, or the fear of what could happen to their friendship entirely. The barrier was being torn down.

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

'I need Naruto...'

Sakura's arms had been around his neck, and holding onto the curve of his back. She moved her hands up his spine, and into his hair where she playfully tugged on certain strands. She could feel Naruto hesitate as she did so. He had no idea what she was thinking, or how to react. She moved one hand down to the bottom part of his head, letting her forearm slide down to the front of his chest.

It was then that she closed her eyes, 'Please don't get me wrong' she silently wished, '...Stay with me...' with those thoughts she redirected his head so her lips met his.

The kiss was special since it was Sakura's first. She had never quite experienced the sensation before, however the pure shock of her actions forced her to pull away from Naruto. She brought her arms down so they rested in his chest. She felt as if her mind had been put into a daze. Her dismantled, unhappy, degenerating world had vanished with the touch of his lips. The moment she pulled away, everything rushed back. The ground, her room, Sasuke...it all came back. If it hadn't been for that moment of bliss, she wouldn't have wanted to go back. She had never experienced something so breathtaking until she kissed his lips.

Naruto's cheeks turned rosy red as he looked down at her. He didn't attempt to push her away, or bring her closer. He just held her waist and head, preventing her from leaving while they tried to figure out what was happening. He too had suddenly realized what happened, and the fear of losing her became a dominant thought. He looked into her emerald eyes, searching for something words wouldn't explain.

"Sakura..." he had dropped the suffix without even thinking. He was too shocked and overwhelmed with the million of ideas and thoughts or gain and loss flying through his head.

"I-I...Naruto..." she gave up on explaining her feelings immediately. She wanted that moment of bliss once again. Sakura closed the gap between their heads, and kissed him once again. Something about it made her want to intensify the kiss with Naruto, and she felt herself pulling his lips into hers more as she slide one arm up to his shoulder. Naruto continued to allow the gesture, letting her do as she fancied.

It was Naruto's fantasy make-out session with her becoming reality by force. He had dreamt of the feel of her lips, and what her delicate body would feel like against his. He had wished this since he met the pink-haired kunochi years ago. He just never thought it would happen this soon, or as a result of this tainted situation. It was bad for him since Sakura was pretty much using him to gain comfort. Even though he wanted to speak back, he found himself keeping his eyes closed, and reacting naturally. His desires outweighed his concerns. He felt a rush of adrenaline throughout his body from the physical contact he was experiencing, and could feel her body becoming hotter in his arms, especially when she slipped her tongue into his mouth. Naruto let out a soft moan to indicate he wanted more. He had no complaints about the enjoyment of the situation, but his thoughts managed to find their way to consciousness.

'She is needy right now...she was rejected by Sasuke...damn it! She just wants someone...anyone...'

It felt like a blur to Naruto, because he finally realized they had moved from standing and making out in the center of the room to her bed off to the side. Sakura's upper body was on her bed, while the lower part hung over the side. Her arms had gone back to being around his neck though not as tight. Their lips were connected, tongues battling, even though his upper body was floating over hers. Naruto used his arms to prop himself up, and not crush her from his weight. His lower body was pressed against hers, and he could feel her reactions from their touch.

It took a while, but after a few minutes Naruto could finally feel the intensity begin to die down. Sakura withdrew her tongue, and left soft kisses so to slowly ease out of their tonsil-hockey battle. Though Naruto could probably go farther, he allowed Sakura to make the choices. Naruto slowly pulled his head away from Sakura, still hovering above her. He opened his eyes to see the pink-haired medic ninja's face, eyes closed, and in good spirits from the activity. There was a small amount of perspiration he could barely see on her face. It seemed the heat from the kiss finally got to her.

"Y-You're a good kisser...Sakura-chan...not bad for our first," Naruto commented with a smirk, though he felt slightly disheartened at the same time. He was scared, the kiss was everything he had every dreamed of it being. He focused on her lips, then moved to her eyes which opened to look back into his.

He felt her arms slip around his lower waist, and twist him around. The towel he had around him flew off onto the side of the bed. Though it was a bit of an effort, they managed to get their bodies parallel with the length of the bed without Naruto hitting the wall next to it. Somehow Naruto found a way to still hover over her, but his legs entangled with hers. Though he had tried to ignore it, a feeling of anxiousness came from Sakura's body, and a feeling of uneasiness washed onto his. Sakura tried to pull him down once again so as to continue, but Naruto refused to go down. To prevent her from doing anything, he sat on the top half of her thighs. He was bent over her with his hands right next to her shoulders, propping him up as he lost himself in her emerald eyes.

"Sakura-chan..." she stopped trying to pull him down at the sound of her name, and looked into his shining azure eyes once again. She could feel a twinge of sadness metaphorically graze her skin, looking up only confirmed it. As she looked into his soul, she felt like she was asking him not to say anything.

"I can't..." his voice cracked, "It's not...right...I didn't want it to be this way...Not the next one down the line...Not Sasuke's replacement..." Though he was unaware of it, his eyes were becoming watery.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap.**

Sakura was the one who should be broken up and crumbling, but something about the situation felt odd. She felt she had to lighten the mood slightly. They had been on a good track, but just hit a bump along the way.

"W-what do you mean?" she responded, finding her voice. He loved her since they were younger, wasn't this what every young man wanted from his first crush? "Do you not like me anymore?" slightly jokingly.

"NO, NO! That's not it," he said as he waved a hand in front of her as if trying to swipe the thought away, "I've always liked you, Sakura-chan," he reassured her, "You're not like all the other girls...But it's so fast...It feels like the only reason I'm here…is because Sasuke rejected you." He looked away, feeling guilty for admitting how he really felt, "It feels like you wanted someone...even if the person is your teammate."

Naruto bit his lip at these words. He wanted her so badly, but he knew if this continued he would never fully have her. She would come to him only if something didn't work out for her. She could still pursue the lone Uchiha, and have him as a backup if he didn't stop it now. He didn't want to be the back-up plan.

'I'll never let this go...But you're the reason I kept going...' she felt her mind whisper to her. She cared for him, and had for a while, but only noticed in light of the current situation. She would never be able to let her fan-girl crush go, but if this was how she was meant to realize her feelings for the blond, then so be it. Sakura finally understood while she examined his face and eyes. She was eroding him. It explained why he had stopped, and looked away. She felt as if her heart was being pierced once again, so looked back up at him, and slowly extended her arm so her hand could cup his cheek, and brought his face back to hers.

'I can't find the words to tell you...but my heart beats for you...'

She then lifted her body so they touched, and pressed her lips against his once again. This gave her a moment to slip her arm around his waist again, and pull him into a bone-crushing hug. She pushed her lips against his harder, nearly smashing them. After a few moments of the intensity, she bit his lower lip, and slowly worked her way towards his ear, leaving another trail of kisses.

"It's about why...not necessarily about when or how..." she whispered into his ear, "What about how long?" then listened to her inner reason, 'What would I be without you...'

Naruto snaked his arms under her, and buried his head into the sheets and her neck allowing her to continue speaking.

"I've wanted someone for so long, Naruto...I always thought it was..." she almost didn't want to say it, but found the courage to do so, "S-Sasuke-kun...s-since I've always thought of him as being so cool and popular...I never realized the person who sacrificed everything for me was you...It took a while for me to catch on...I had to lose something in order to gain something...At least I finally realized it was you..."

She felt a large intake of air from Naruto, and she increased her hold thinking he was going to get up and leave. She continued to play with his hair as they lay there.

"It was you..." she repeated again, hoping the message sank into his heart. 'A part of my heart was always yours...' she felt she wanted to scream this, but thought it would be cheesier then what she had just said.

She felt a large amount of hot air escape his mouth, and his lips form a grin, "I care about you, Sakura-chan...I always have..."

"I know" her lips formed into a smile, "I know..." the words trailed off.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap. Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

They lay motionless; Naruto's arms protectively around her. Both felt their bodies had somehow meshed into the other since they fit so well together. Their legs were intertwined, while Naruto's body covered hers, and they slowly began listening to the sounds around them. They could feel the breath of the other against their body, and hear the beating of the other's heart begin to sync with their own. Sakura felt as if every thought of Sasuke had finally found a place to rest, and were now replaced by the handsome partner on top of her.

"Stay with me..." she whispered as the whole world began to disappear until her mind completely focused on the blond teenage boy.

"As long as you let me," he whispered back, kissing her neck.

The small dog had finally joined them as well, and had jumped onto the bed, cuddling near their feet. It too had found solace.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap. Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

Naruto's bare torso felt smooth against the skin of her arms. His voice sounded as if he were going to fall asleep on her, though it was filled with content, "Doesn't seem like the lightning is going to stop anytime soon, Sakura-chan."

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

It was as if gigantic war drums had been resurrected all over Konoha since the sound from the thunder echoed throughout the village. It had been repeatedly going since it started the second time. As one would say, the heavens had decided to unleash its wrath upon the earth in forms of lightning and rain to destroy the area. However, Sakura saw it differently. It was almost ironic to her as she thought back to the end of the second test of the first time she took the chunnin examines. It was as Iruka-sensei had said. She was heaven, Naruto was earth. Together they could work. The blond-haired teen was her savior.

**Boom, Boom the thunder goes Boom, Boom.**

"Naruto," Sakura stated seriously as his face lined up with hers, "It has already stopped..." she kissed his lips, savoring the feel and taste, before pulling her feathery sheets over both of them, and falling asleep in his muscular arms, legs tangled together, and her head nuzzling into his chest. The war had ended, but the beat carried on.

**Tap, Tap, the water drops go Tap, Tap. **

* * *

**As always: Comments, Flames, Critiques are always Welcomed, Loved, and Appreciated. I accept almost everything, except if someone leaves something short and derogatory such as "THIS SUCKS" with NO explanation to support their opinion. Reviewing is a great way for me to know what I could have done better, what people think of this story, and is also a source of motivation for me. It has to come from somewhere since I'm a rather inexperienced writer (as I said before) to say the least, and have put a lot of effort into editing so it is easy to read. Yes, I edit all my stories as best as I can. This is why I bring this up just like many other writers, and implore you to PLEASE leave a REVIEW.**

**I know this probably isn't the best NaruSaku out there, but I tried my best to get as much fluff as possible, and keep the personalities similar though they eventually went slightly OOC. I was also experimenting with putting a lot of description. Anyway, I have a new poll on my profile if anyone would like to go place their vote! The polls is the reason for existence of this story. Oh, I also learned how to use the forums! If anyone wants to go check that out as well and contribute, cool! Anyway, until next time! Hope everyone enjoyed the short story!**


End file.
